Circuit breaker



Feb. 25, 1958 Filed Jan. 14', 1955 E. T. PLATZ ET AL CIRCUIT BREAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet l #Trax/VIK Feb 25, 1958 E'. T. PLATZ ET AL 2,524,930

CIRCUIT BREAKER United Stteslatem O CIRCUIT BREAKER Elwood T. Platz and Joseph A. Messing, Detroit, Mich., assignors to BullDog Electric Products Co., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of West Virginia Application January 14, 1955, Serial No. 481,792 23 Claims. (Cl. 20G-116) This invention relates to automatic circuit breakers generally and speciiically to circuit breakers utilized for the control and distribution of low voltage electric power in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

The circuit breaker herein disclosed is manually operable to the open and closed circuit positions and automatically operable to the open circuit position in response to a fault current in the circuit controlled by the breaker.

It is important that circuit breakers utilized for the above mentioned purposes be inexpensive and easily assembled from a minimum number of parts. It is further desirable that certain operating characteristics, such as quick separation of the contacts upon circuit opening movement and quick closing of the contacts upon circuit closing movement, be maintained.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, easily assembled circuit breaker.

Another object is to provide a circuit breaker having a novel control mechanism.

Another object is to provide a circuit Ybreaker having separate actuators for movement of the circuit breaker mechanism to the open and closed circuit positions.

Another object is to provide a circuit breaker which is manually operable to the open circuit position by actuation of the automatic tripping mechanism.

' Still another object is to provide a circuit breaker having a positive, simple trip indicator.

Still another object is to provide a circuit breaker having manual actuators which positively indicate the circuit condition of the breaker.

Still another object is to provide a circuit breaker in which the movement of the mechanism to the open and closed circuit positions occurs during the inward movements of the manual actuators.

Still other objects will appear from the following description and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the circuit breaker with the housing cover removed showing the breaker mechanism in the closed circuit position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the circuit breaker with the housing cover removed showing the mechanism in the open circuit position.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the circuit breaker with the housing cover removed showing the mechanism in the automatic-tripped position.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the circuit breaker mechanism taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the circuit breaker mechanism taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings the circuit breaker includes a housing indicated generally as 11 and a control mechanism indicated generally as 12. The breaker is operated manually by actuators 13, 14 tothe open and closed circuit position, respectively. Automatic movement to the open circuit-position is provided upon the occurrenceA of a fault current in the load circuit controlled by the breaker.

The housing 11 is made of appropriate molded insulating material and includes a base 20 and a cover (not shown) which is secured by screws inserted in tapped holes 21 of base 2t). Base 20 is of suitable depth to accommodate the breaker mechanism and comprises side walls 22, 23, a bottom wall 24, a rear wall 24a, a top wall 25, and a partition 26, which extends from side wall-toside wall and is spaced below top wall 25. An indicator Slot 27 is cut in top wall 25 and closed by some suitable transparent plastic material to enable an operator to readily ascertain the circut condition as shown on the indicator. Actuator openings (Fig. l) are also cut in top wall 25 to receive actuators 13, 14. Partition 26 is cut away at 31, 32, 33 to provide openings for trip member 34, an indicator 35, and an actuating member 36.

Secured in the side wall 22 of base 20 is a line terminal 41 of conducting material, such as copper, having a fixed contact 42 welded thereto. A load terminal 43 of similar construction is secured in side wall 23.

A mainspring holding notch is cut out from the upper surface of lower wall 24 of base 20 (Fig. l).

In the particular embodiment shown, actuators 13, 14, which serve to initiate operation of the breaker mechanism to the open and closed circuit positions upon effort being applied to them, are cylindrical shaped of molded insulating material. A boss 51 is formed on the lower end of each actuator. Aixed to the lower end of actuator 13 with a portion surrounding boss 51 is a trip member 34, which is formed of metal (as shown in Figs. 1,-2, 3) with a thin depending portion 52 at right angles to the portion secured to actuator y13. Depending portion 52 is beveled at the lower end 53 and includes a carriage holding notch 54, which functions as. hereinafter described. Disposed between the upper surface of partition 26 and the lower surface of the portion of trip member 34 secured to actuator 13 is an actuator spring 55. The upper coil of actuator spring 55 surrounds the extending portion of boss 51, which maintains spring 55 in place.

Actuator 14, which serves to initiate operation of the breaker mechanism to the closed circuit position, has an actuator member 36 secured thereto in the same manner as trip member 34 is secured to actuator 13. The depending portion 36a of actuator member 36 comprises a stripof metal approximately one-quarter-inch wide with a holding notch 57 cut out from the outer edge, as shown in Fig. 2.

Disposed in the interior of housing 11 is the circuit breaker control mechanism 12 (Figs. 1, 2, 3). This mechanism includes a contactor 70, a carriage 71, a fault responsive latch 73, a trip pin 74, a mainspring 75, and acarriage spring 76. Contactor comprises an elongated piece of conducting metal, such as copper. -A movable contact 70a is formed at the extreme left end (Fig. 1) and a latch tip 701A at the extreme right end. Adjacent to movable contact 70a is a pivot extension 7Gb, which has a pivot pin 73a (Fig. 5) extending therethrough, to permit pivotal motion relative to carriage 71 upon circuit opening and closing movement of the mechanism. Extending from the lower side of contactor 7) is a projection 70a` having a spring notch 70d formed therein to receive a leg of mainspring 75. Spaced near the right end of contactor 70 is a guide lug 70e having the right side sloped to an actuator notch 701 (Fig. 2), which receives the lower end of actuator member 36 for movement of the mechanism to the closed circuit position.

Carriage 71 comprises a trapezoidal piece of sheet metal of U shape n cross-section (Fig. 5) pivoted on a pin 69, which extends from the rear wall 24a of housing 11; carriage 71 has a top wall 71a and side walls 71b and 71e (Fig. 5). Formed in top wall 71a is an actuator Patented Feb. 25, sV

hook 71d arranged to engage actuator member notch 57 when the latter is pushed inwardly for circuit closing operation. Top wall 71a of carriage 71 is cut away from hook 71d to the right endof carriage 71 (Fig. 1) to provide clearance for actuator member 36. Side wall 71b is cut at 71e and 71)c to form ears 71g (Fig. 5), which are bent inwardly `as shown and drilled to provide openings 71s which receive trip pin 74. The lower left corner of carriage 71 is provided with journals 71m which receive contactor pivot pin 73a. A contactor stop 70g is located at the right side of carriage 71 and consists of a pin eX- tending between, and secured to, side walls 71b, 71C.

Secured to the upper wall 71a is an indicator 35, the functioning of which will be described in greater detail.

An insulating member 71k is fastened to the upper right corner of carriage 71, to which is secured a fault responsive latch 73. To retard relatching movement of latch 7 3, a latch lug 73e is provided which interacts with a projection 73d of semicircular cross-section formed in the rear wall 24a of housing 11. This latch is shown as a thermal responsive bimetal. However, any one of many well known types of thermal or thermal magnetic mechanisms, which respond to fault currents, may be used. A flexible conductor 73a connects the upper end of latch 73 to load terminal 43. The lower end of latch 73 is connected to a exible conductor 73b, which has its opposite end connected to contactor 70. The electrical circuit through the breaker is from line terminal 41, through xed and movable contacts 42, 70a, through contactor 70, flexible conduct-or 73b, latch 73, flexible conductor 73a to load terminal 43.

Also secured to carriage 71 adjacent to the upper end of latch L73 is a spring lug 71p which receives and secures one end of carriage spring 76.

Trip pin 74 is formed with a head 74a. Confined between head 74a and ear 71e is a trip spring 74b. A collar 74e spaced from the right end of trip pin 74 prevents further movement to the left under the bias of trip spring 74b.

The functioning of the circuit breaker is as follows: With the breaker in closed circuit position of Fig. l, manual operation to the open circuit position is accomplished by pressing inwardly on actuator 13. Actuator 13 moves inwardly, compressing actuator spring 55 until the lower end 53 of the depending portion 52 of trip member 34 strikes the head 74a of trip pin 74. Further downward movement of actuator member 34 causes trip pin 74 to move to the right against the force of trip spring 74b until the right end of trip pin 74 strikes the lower end of latch 73. Latch 73 is forced outwardly, displacing the lower end from engagement with latch tip 70r. and releasing contactor 70 for pivotal movement counterclockwise about pivot pin 73a. Contactor 70 pivots rapidly urider the bias of mairispring 75, removing movable contact 70a from engagement with fixed contact 42 Witha snap action. This rapid separation ofthe contacts 70a, 42, known in the art as quick break, assists, in severing the arc formed when contact 70a is withdrawn from `Contact 42. Further pivotal movement of contactor 70 continues until latch tip tir strikes contactor stop 7tlg of carriage 71. Under the force of contactor 70 striking stop 70g and the continuing bias of mainspring 75, carriage 71 rotates counterclockwise about pivot 69 compressing carriage spring 76. As carriage 71 rotates, lug 73e of latch 73, which has been pushed outward by trip pin 74, engages projection 73d which retains latch 73 in its outermost position as shown in Fig. 2. Continued rotation of carriage 71 compresses spring 76 further until lug 71p passes over center when the compressive force of spring 76 is released, adding impetus to carriage 71l until the left end of top wall 71a engages, andis held by, notch 54of the depending portion 52 of trip member 34 (Fig. l'-2). Trippin 74 is returned by trip pin spring 74b to its original position, as shown in Fig. l. The circuit brteaker'isthen in the manual open circuit Yposition of Fig. 2.`

-In this Yposition trip member 34 is prevented from moving upwardly under the bias of spring 55, and actuator 13 is thus retained in the innermost position, indicating that the circuit breaker mechanism has been manually moved to the open circuit position.

When it is desired to restore the circuit through the breaker, actuator 14 is pushed inwardly. Depending portion 36a of actuator member 36 moves downwardly until the lower end strikes contactor 70 in notch 70], causing contactor 70 Vto rotate yclockwise-about pivot 73a loading mainspring 75. Further rotation causes movable contact 70a to move upwardly to the left towards engagement with fixed contact 42. As contactor 70 rotates, carriage 71 is held in the uppermost position by carriage spring 76, permitting contactor 70 to rotate independently of carriage 71. During this movement latch 73 is held in its outermost position by the engagement of lug 73e with projection 73d 'of rear wall 24a of housing 11. When notch 70d of contactor 70 passe-s the centerline of force of mainspring 75, latch lug 73e is released from projection 73d, permitting the lower end of latch 73 to position itself on latch tip 7111 of contactor 7G. At this same time the force of mainspring 75 acts through contactor 70y and pivot pin 73a to rotate carriage 71 to cause spring lug 71p of carriage 71 to pass over the centerline of force of carriage spring 76, and carriage 71 and contactor 70 move together bringing movable contact 70a rapidly into engagement with fixed contact 42, restoring the circuit through the breaker. Lug 71d of top wall 71a of carriage 71 positions itself in holding notch 57 to retain actuator 14 in the innermost position, indicating the breaker mechanism 12 has been manually moved to the closed circuit position. The left eind of top wall 71a of carriage 71 is thereby removed from engagement with notch 54 of trip member 34, releasing actuator 13 for upward movement under the bias of spring 55. The circuit breaker is then in the manual closed circuit position yof Fig. l.

Upon the occurrence of a fault current in excess of a predetermined value in the circuit containing the breaker, the latch 73, shown as a bimetal, would respond and warp outwardly, .as-shown in Fig. 3. Contactor 70 would thus be released permitting the contacts 42, 70a to separate and the mechanism to move to the open circuit position, as described before, upon manual actuation. However, as actuator 13 is still in the outward position, carriage 71 will continue to rotate unimpeded by a trip member 34. This rotation will continue until the upper right corner of carriage 71 strikes the lower surface 'of partition 26. In this position, as carriage 71 is permitted to rotate further than upon manual actuation, indicator 35 will move further to the left with a portion appearing below opening 27 in base 20. A suitable marker lon the upper surface of the indicator would indicate that the breaker mechanism had been automatically tripped. Also both manual actuators would be in their outermostpositions, disclosing to an -operatoi-,if the indicator is not visible, that the breaker mechanism has been automat.- ically opened. The breaker mechanism is moved to the closed circuit position after automatic trip in the `saine manner as after manual actuation to the yopen circuit position.

While one embodiment of the invention is shown and described, it is understood that the invention is defined by the claims which follow.

We claim:

l. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a xed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and vclosed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriageand'engageable with'said contactor upon movement of said'contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and autoxnatically and manually disengageable from said contactorto permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said first operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor.

2. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contacto-r to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with Said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said first and second manual operators being structurally independent of each other, said fault responsive means comprising a bimetallic member.

3. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said first operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said fault responsive means comprising a bimetallic member.

4. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said rst actuator having a portion engageable with said riage and retain said first catuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position.

5. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon-movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically andmanually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position,- a first and second manual operators engageable with saidmechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said rst operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position.

6. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a xed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable Contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said fault responsive means comprising a bimetallic member, and said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position.

7. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said first operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said fault responsive means comprising a bimetallic member, and said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually Aactuated to the open circuit position.

8. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage.

said fixed contact, said resilient means abutting said contactor, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said contactor upon movement of said contactor, to the closed circuit position from the open circuit posi-, tion and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said fault responsive means being rigidly secured to said carriage, said carriage having a portionf engageable with said second actuator upon manual acjtuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward posif 7 tion-to indicatethatsaid mechanism hasbeen moved to the closed circuit position.

9. In acircuit breaker'including a housing, a xed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilientfmeans for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable Contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivotcd to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a faultresponsive means secured to said carriage and engageabie with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageabie from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a rst and second-manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement ot said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said first operator and arranged to disengagc said fault responsive means from said contactor, said carriage having a portion engageable with said-second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the-closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that said mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

l0. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a xed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to saidcarriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanismfor initiating movement of said circ uit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said fault responsive means comprising a bimctallic member, said carriage having a portion engageable with said second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that said mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

ll. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movabie contact arranged to engage said tixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageahle with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageabie from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a tirst and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said irst operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said fault responsive means comprising a bimctallic member, said carriage having a portion engageable with said second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

l2. In a'circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to` said housing and pivotally supporting. said contactor, a fault responsive means Secured tosaid carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the opencircuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a iirst and second manual operators engageable with said fault responsive means and said contactor for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position, said carriage also having a portion engageable with said second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that said mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

13. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a iixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said iixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotallysupporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a hrst and second manual operators engageable with said fault responsive means and said contactor for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said rst operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain irst actuator in an inv/ard position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position, and said carriage having a portion engageable with said second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that said mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

14. `In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, -resilient means for biasing .said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said liXed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from `said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a tirst and second manual operators en- `gageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of vsaid circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said fault responsive means comprising a bimctallic member, said first actuator having a portion engageable with said `carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position, said carriage having a portion engageable with said second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that said mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

15. -In a circuit breaker including a housing, a xed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of -said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said fault responsive means and said contactor for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said first operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said fault responsive means comprising a bimetallic member, said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain lsaid first actuator in an inward -position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position, said carriage also having a portion engageable with said second actuator upon manual actuation of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby secure said second actuator in an inward position to indicate that said mechanism has been moved to the closed circuit position.

16. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of ysaid contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said housing including a member engageable with said fault responsive means upon movement of said mechanism to the closed circuit position to thereby retard engagement of said fault responsive means with said contactor.

17. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control Amechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said housing having an opening, a transparent closure for said opening, said carriage including an indicator positionable in said housing opening upon automatic movement of said circuit breaker to the open circuit position.

18. `In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive Yil) means secured to said carriagev and engageable with said:

contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said carriage including a member biasable by said first operator and arranged to disengage said fault responsive means from said contactor, said housing having an opening, a transparent closure for said opening, said carriage including an indicator positionable in said housing opening upon automatic movement of said circuit breaker to the open circuit position.

19. ln a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said first actuator having a portion engageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position, said housing having an opening, a transparent closure for said opening, and said carriage including an indicator positionable in said hous ing opening 'upon automatic movement of said circuit breaker to the open circuit position.

20. in a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said contactor to permit said contactor to move to the open circuit position, a first and second manual operators engageable with said mechanism for initiating movement of said circuit breaker to the open and closed circuit positions, said fault responsive means comprising a birnetallic member, said first actuator having a portion eng-ageable with said carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first actuator in an inward position to indicate that said circuit breaker has been manually actuated to the open circuit position, said housing having an opening, a transparent closure for said opening, said carriage including an indicator positionable in said housing opening upon automatic movement of said circuit 'breaker to the open circuit position.

2l. In a circuit breaker including a housing, a fixed contact, a control mechanism disposed in said housing, resilient means for biasing said mechanism to the open and closed circuit position, said mechanism including a contactor having a movable contact arranged to engage said fixed contact, a carriage pivoted to said housing and pivotally supporting said contactor, a fault responsive means secured to said carriage and engageable with said contactor upon movement of said contactor to the closed circuit position from the open circuit position and automatically and manually disengageable from said con- 'sletpito permitsaidI contactor to move to the open circuitposition, a: first and second manual operators engageablel with said', mechanismfor initiating movement of said circuitjbreakertothe open and closed circuit positions, said housing including a member engageable withsaid fault responsive means upon movement of said mechanismgto the closed circuit position to thereby retard engagement of' said fault responsive means with said contac'tor, said housing having an opening, a transparent closurel for said opening, said carriage including an indicagtor positionable in said housing opening upon automatic movementA of said circuit 'breaker to the open circuit position.

- `22.V A circuit interrupter having a pair of Cooperating contacts; a control mechanism operatively connected to said"cooperatingv contacts to `effect movement to both an engaged and disengaged position; said control mechanism having'oneof said cooperating contacts associated there` with'and operatively positioning said Contact for cooperative engagement with the other of said cooperating contacts; resilient means for biasing said control mechanism to said engaged and disengaged position; a carriage being pivotally mounted and supporting one of said cooperating contacts; a fault responsive means secured to said carriage, said fault responsive means being selectively movable 'into operative engagement with one of said cooperating contacts upon the movement of said cooperating contacts to said engaged position from said disengaged position; said fault responsive means being automatically and manually disengagea'ble from its associated cooperating contact to permit said contact to move to said disengaged position; a first manual means being operatively connected to said control mechanism for initiating movement of said cooperating contacts from said engaged position to said disengaged position; a second manual means being operatively connected to said control mechanism for initiating movement of said cooperating contacts from said disengaged position to said engaged position, said rst and second manual means being structurally independent of each other.

23. A circuit interrupter having a pair of cooperating contacts; av controlA mechanism operatively connected to said cooperating contacts to effect movement to both an-engaged and disengaged position; said control mechanism havingA one of said cooperating contacts associated therewith and operatively positioning said contact for cooperative engagement with the other of said cooperating contacts; resilient means for `biasing said control mechanism to said engaged and disengaged position; a carriage being pivotally mounted and supporting one of said cooperating contacts; a bimetallic member secured to said carriage, said bimetallic member being selectively movable into operative engagement with one of said cooperating contacts upon the movement of said cooperatingl contacts tosaid engaged position from said disengaged position; said bimetallic member being automatically and manually disengageable from its associated cooperating contact to permit said contact to move to said disengaged position; a rst manual means being operatively connected to said control mechanism `for initiating movement of said cooperating contacts from said engaged position to said disengaged position; a second manual means lbeing operatively connected to said control mechanism for initiating movement of said cooperating contacts from said disengaged position to said engaged position, said first and second manual means beingV structurally independent of each other.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,005,687 Sachs June 1S, 1935 V2,055,183 Sperry Sept. 23, 1936 2,203,462 Frank June 4, 1940 2,288,081 Frank .Tune 30, 1942 2,290,367 Bottinger'ct a1 July 21, 1942 2,473,961 Pierce July 2l, 1949 2,647,969 Marcoz Aug. 4, 1953 2,661,414V Casey Dec. l, 1953 f FOREIGN PATENTS 660,764 Germany June 2, 1938 9473641 France Jan. 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OE. CORRECTION Patent No., @824,930 February 25, 1958 Elwood T, Platz et el It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed speciiioetion of* the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 62 Claim f."P9 for "riage and retain said first oatueltorn read e@ Carriage to thereby position said Carriage and retain said first actuator n.,

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of July 1958,

KARL AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE F CGECTIN Patent No., h@824,930 February 25, 1958 Elwood 2., Platz et elD It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line ,62g claim m for uriege and retain said first cetueltorn read carriage to thereby position said carriage and retain said first aotuator Signed and sealed this 22nd day of July 1958u {SEAL} Attest:

KARL EL AXLNE RGBEET C. WATSGN Attesting Ofcer Commissioner of Patents 

